Fishing report: redfish and snapper abundant

Reds reigning. Redfish still reign supreme all along the East Bay area. Fishing with pinfish or whitebait in and around the schools of mullet will put you in the strike zone. Cork your bait to keep it out of the grass and in the line of sight of the fish.

Snap down on snapper. Snapper are available, it seems, on every dock piling, bridge piling and drop off ledge in the bay. These little bait stealers are excellent table fare and are quiet cooperative. Small green backs and shrimp work well. Rig with 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, a split shot just heavy enough to keep you in the strike zone. They can be hard to hook, but once you find a rhythm, its game on.

Look for snook. After the front has passed, the weather stabilizes, and we begin to see clouds in the sky look for the snook bite to turn on. Last November was epic, I look for nothing short of a repeat this year. The bite should remain strong right through Thanksgiving, depending on how many and severe the coming fronts are.

Flip for flounder. Recent catches of flounder on some sandy shoals indicate that they are making their way to the spots they prefer in the late fall early winter months. Things are movin' and shakin' on the fishing front, get in on the action while it's hot.

Capt. Tim Whitfield can be reached at tim@swiftfishcharters.com or (813) 774-0889.